Policy positions and submissions

If a social insurance scheme is implemented by government, the MHF fully supports the coverage for health conditions and disability, including mental distress or ‘illness’. However, the MHF considers more discussion is needed about whether a social insurance scheme is the best approach to address job loss. Regardless of whether or not a social insurance scheme is introduced, the MHF endorse wider reforms to support employment (including job loss) such as centralised and intensive employment support and promoting mentally healthy workplaces to promote wellbeing, prevent mental distress and respond appropriately to employees experiencing mental distress. We strongly recommend faster progress to embed evidence-based integrated employment support in health and mental health and addiction services, and to eliminate discrimination and prejudice against people with experience of mental distress in the workplace to help them gain and maintain employment given that discrimination is one of the most significant barriers to employment for people with experience of mental distress.

This submission is to the Health Committee on the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) (Improving Mental Health Outcomes) Amendment Bill.

The Bill seeks to mandate a national mental health and wellbeing strategy. Our submission outlines MHF’s overall support for mandating a strategy of this nature in law. However, we make several recommendations for strengthening the Bill, including naming ‘addiction’ in the title of the strategy, requiring the strategy be developed in partnership with Māori and those with lived experience of mental distress and addiction, and in consultation with all entities that contribute to mental health and wellbeing (not just health entities). The submission also addresses various drafting concerns and implications and suggests how to maximise the impact of this Bill.

Submission to the Social Services and Community Committee on the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System and Children and Young People’s Commission Bill. This Bill proposes new structures to monitor our care and protection system. The MHF opposes the Bill as currently drafted and suggests ways to strengthen the independence, and powers of the new Monitor, and pushes for more Māori leadership, collaboration and partnership throughout the system.

Directly and indirectly, alcohol has an extensive influence on poor mental wellbeing, mental distress, and suicide. Much of this harm is preventable through evidence-based public health policy, and there are already many Aotearoa New Zealand-based recommendations to guide progress - including those provided in He Ara Oranga, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and alcohol law, the 2014 Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising and Sponsorship, the 2014 Ministry of Justice report on the effectiveness of alcohol pricing, and the 2010 Law Commission report on the review of regulatory framework for the sale and supply of liquor. Our principal recommendation is for the government to progress the well-overdue review of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 to fully embed these policy measures. 

This Bill was withdrawn from Parliament consideration and will not be progressing into law as of 8 February 2023. The MHF will engage with the Law Commission as they review the laws related to hate speech and how to protect communities, including the religious communities, in Aotearoa and continue to advocate towards protecting individuals, groups and whānau from hate speech and discrimination.

The MHF supports the intent of the Human Rights (Incitement on Ground of Religious Belief) Amendment Bill to improve protections for faith-based groups under the provisions of the Human Rights Act. We also urge the Government to progress other work to minimise and eliminate discrimination and hate speech as real progress will only be successful if social change happens alongside legislative change.

The MHF does not support imposing additional and targeted restrictions on the prescribing of puberty blockers for transgender and gender-diverse young people in the absence of clear evidence for doing so. We are concerned that this would likely further exacerbate the already profound discrimination and mental health challenges faced by this group. We support preserving the current prescribing framework, while actively working toward improving access and care for these young people. We recommend the Ministry prioritise the views of trans youth, their whānau and support networks, and clinicians with the appropriate expertise as it shapes equitable health policy and research.

The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand supports equitable access to assessment and support for ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. We support the submission of ADHD New Zealand on this proposal, including their recommendations for making the prescribing model for ADHD as effective as possible.

The MHF opposes this Bill, as we believe it will negatively impact mental wellbeing outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau Māori. The provisions in section 7AA are some of the only statutory levers available to hold the child protection system accountable to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, reduce disparities in outcomes for tamariki Māori, and redress generations of harm done to tamariki and whānau Māori by the system. We are not convinced there is sound evidence to demonstrate that poor practice under the Oranga Tamariki Act will be resolved by this Bill, and we are also concerned at the lack of due consultation with affected stakeholders in the lead-up to this legislative change.

The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand (MHF) stands firmly in support of the preamble and articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which affirms the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination and reinforces the guarantee of tino rangatiratangai in Article Two of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

The MHF strongly opposes the Bill as it disregards the fundamental rights of Māori to exercise tino rangatiratanga and risks perpetuating historical injustices that continue to affect Māori wellbeing. Respecting and enabling tino rangatiratanga is essential for improving mental health, wellbeing, and social outcomes, not only for Māori, but for all people in Aotearoa. The MHF urges the Justice Committee to abandon the Bill to prevent further harm to Māori communities and to honour the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi as they currently stand.